Booksource Book Club invites you to read along with us. Every month or so (depending on the size of the book) a group of us book nerds gather to talk about a book we’ve all read. Now we want you to join in the fun! We’ll start by giving you an update of our last book talk and let you know our next pick. Please join the conversation by commenting with your thoughts.

In May, we discussed six picture books. Here’s what we thought:

Earmuffs for Everyone by Meghan McCarthy (Grades P-3, Lexile AD720)

Did you know that the man who holds the patent for earmuffs didn’t invent them? This light-hearted nonfiction title provides plenty of interesting facts about earmuffs and other inventions. Students can even learn about the process of applying for patents. With captions, labels, and tons of facts, this book offers a lot of opportunities for students to practice interacting with nonfiction text features and random reading. Fun illustrations bring humor and enjoyment to the subject, although the book club was torn about whether it would work as a read aloud due to text features such as newspaper clippings and labels. In addition, the subject and the rich back matter provide fodder for discussions on trusted versus untrusted sources.

Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña (Grades P-K, Lexile AD610)

After church on Sunday, CJ and Nana board the downtown bus and head across town. With the honesty and guilelessness of a child, CJ wonders aloud to Nana about things—why don’t they have a car or an iPod, and why do they have to go to the soup kitchen? Along the way, Nana answers CJ with the patience and love that only a grandparent can devote, all the while laughing her deep laugh and encouraging him to see the true beauty and fortune in their life. Even more, the last stop for this delightful pair is the soup kitchen where they volunteer.  

The illustrations by Christian Robinson are vibrant, colorful and real. From the charming wrinkles on Nana’s face to the tattoo-covered passenger, the portrayal of diverse characters in this urban setting is charming and joyful.

This book would be great for teaching a variety of topics: predicting, wants versus needs, and strong verbs and descriptions. The book club loved this book; it captivated us and spoke to us on a deep level of appreciation for what we have, recognition of the beauty around us, and the value of giving back to our community.

*Last Stop on Market Street has been nominated for a Scout Award, an internal Booksource award. Booksource will nominate books throughout the year and then ask readers to vote on their favorites to determine the winners. The Scout Award is named in honor of the main character of Booksource’s most popular title, To Kill a Mockingbird. Read more about the awards here.

Mesmerized by Mara Rockliff (Grades 1-4)

Do you know the origin of the word “mesmerized”? Most of our book club did not! Using a wonderful blend of science and history, this entertaining book tells the story of Dr. Mesmer in France, whose unique talents led to curing the illnesses of hundreds people … without a single drop of medicine! In a “mesmerizing” tale, we learn about the origin of blind studies (an actual blindfold is involved!), the discovery of the placebo effect and much more.

Our book club learned a lot of new information in this enjoyable picture book. The illustrations are quaint and provide humorous support for the text. While the book club felt the appearance of the book may appeal to the younger grades, the content and rich vocabulary (sprinkled with French) make it perfect for older students, too. This book provides plenty of stopping points for discussion and could even act as a launching point for intermediate students doing research. The back matter contains valuable sources and articles for students to check out. Informative, entertaining and useful—a great find!

Rude Cakes by Rowboat Watkins (Grades P-K)

Rude Cakes follows a bratty, bossy two-tiered pink cake as she terrorizes those around her. Bullying doesn’t work on giant Cyclopes though, as our pink friend discovers. Kidnapped from her bed late at night, a wonderful twist reveals that the Cyclopes are, contrary to popular belief, wonderful and kind creatures. The impolite cake must learn the error of her ways in order to return home. Whimsical and delightful, this gentle etiquette book is a great read aloud choice for preschool and primary grades.

*Rude Cakes has been nominated for a Scout Award, an internal Booksource award. Booksource will nominate books throughout the year and then ask readers to vote on their favorites to determine the winners. The Scout Award is named in honor of the main character of Booksource’s most popular title, To Kill a Mockingbird. Read more about the awards here.

Sidewalk Flowers by JonArno Lawson (Grades P-2) 

In this delightful wordless book, JonArno Lawson and illustrator Sydney Smith perfectly capture a child who appreciates the world around her and seeks to share that beauty with others. Based off a true experience of Lawson and his daughter, the story conveys emotions easily. As the child is walking home with her father, she stops often to collect flowers for her own makeshift bouquet. As she continues, she gifts the precious flowers—to a homeless man, a dead bird, her mother, a young child. The illustrations are poignant; around her the world is dull, gray, preoccupied, but she and her flowers are colorful and vibrant.

Those in our book club who loved this book really loved it! With a graphic novel feel, but easily followed, this book would be great for teaching small moments for personal narrative writing. Its inspiring and meaningful message will delight those of all ages.

*Sidewalk Flowers has been nominated for a Scout Award, an internal Booksource award. Booksource will nominate books throughout the year and then ask readers to vote on their favorites to determine the winners. The Scout Award is named in honor of the main character of Booksource’s most popular title, To Kill a Mockingbird. Read more about the awards here.

Stick and Stone by Beth Ferry (Grades P-3) 

This quaint story of two unlikely but aptly-named friends, Stick and Stone, follows them as they discover friendship. Stick rescues Stone from the bullying Pinecone, but then Stick gets stuck. Can Stone save Stick? Absolutely! That’s what friends do.

Many in our book club loved this book, as did the children in a preschool class with whom we tested it! The text is simple and catchy, with a real feel-good vibe. The artwork is endearing as well; both Stick and Stone have truly expressive faces that draw you in as they experiment with their new diverse friendship. This charming book offers many opportunities for teaching about friends, bravery, inferring and predicting, among other things.

If you’ve read any of this month’s picture books, we’d love to hear what you have to say about them! Leave your comments below and make sure to join us next month as we discuss George by Alex Gino.

We also have copies of all the pictures books for TWO lucky Banter Readers to win! Enter by completing the form below. Entries are limited to the United States. Contest ends 11:59 p.m. CST on June 12, 2015. Winners will be randomly selected.

Contest is closed. Congratulations to winners Katie from California and Ellie from Massachussetts!